Dehydrator



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,468

E. L. YOUNGER DEHYDRATO-R Filed March 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet'l IN V EN TOR. Ai/ZM I 7%. 6. A TTORNEY E. L. YOUNGER DEHYDRATOR Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,468

Filed March 5, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 BY 7%@ M ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STAT ES P'ATEN T OFFICE.

ELLARD L. YOUNGER, or woonrann, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR r n. L. YOUNGER & sons, or woonnann, oamrormm, a coranrnnasnrr comrosnn or n. L. YOUNGER, ELLABD L. YOUNGEB, AND M. avounenn.

nnnrnaaron.

Application filed March 5, 1927. Serial No. 172,958.

My invention relates to improvements in dehydrators generally, and in partlcular to that'class ofdehydrators which remove the IDOlStlllfB from fruits or other food products bythecontinuous circulation therethrough of a columnofpreheated air which is kept] in constant mot1on by means of a pressure blower.

The present invention is an improved form of dehydrator of comparatively small capacity and is especially designed for use on small fruit farms and other places, and is adapted for use in the drying of fruit, such as prunes, in quantities rangmg from five to six tons per twenty-four hours. 7

A dehydrator constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention costs considerably less to install than the ordi-' nary dehydration plant, is very eificient in its operation, and consumes much less fuel per ton of fruit handled. The present con-.

struction is a reduced and exceedingly comact form of apparatus over existing deiiydrators that I am aware of;

The structure of my invention has added improvementsover similar devices that in and maintain, and which is especially adapt- 0 ed for use on small fruit ranches in handling comparatively. small quantlties of fruit at a; minimum cost per ton' of fru1t handled. I

Another object of my invention is to ro- 5 vide an improveddehydrator that emb as one of its essential features, a fan-blower which is positioned within the structure in such a manner that a column of heated fresh air is kept in continuous clrculation through to provide a dehydrator of the class desig- The primary object of my invention is to.

out the structure, and is forced directly through the crated fruit which is arranged in tiers adjacent the radiator.

An additional object of my invention is nated, which embodies in its construction a novel furnace arrangement that includes an exhaust blower arranged exterior to and above the dehydrator and adapted to create a strong. draft through the radiator fines to assist the combustion in the furnace and to impart a rapid exchange of heat to the incoming fresh air flowing between and past the radiator flues...

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a dehydrator structure which is designed to include a furnace which is positioned in close proximity to the drying chamber to conserve space,'and in which the main blower is arranged above the furnace and in a direct line and immediately adjacent the crated fruit in the drying chamber.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: 4

Figure 1 is a plan sectional view showing the relative arrangement of the various parts constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention, the arrows therein indicating the direction of the flow of the air currents which are driven outwardly by the blower in a central column and distributed through the central tiers of trays and returned to the blower at both sides of the structure;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the entire structure and show ing the blower, I furnace, radiator, drying chamber and exhaust blower, the section bein indicated by the line 22 of Figure 3;

"igure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken in front of the radiator andv looking rearwardly toward the drying chamber, the section bemg indicated by the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2;

gure' 4 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating a tier oi? trays with cut-down end sections constructed for use with my invention and providing means for the free circulation of heated frontsection 5, roof 6 and furnace pit 7 the whole with the exception of the roof 6 being preferably constructed of cement and having a cement foundation 8 extendtion and is positioned in they atmosphere,

ing under the entire structure. The structure as thus formed is divided lon 'tudinally into a furnace pit 7, blower an radiator compartment 9, and a drying chamber 10.

- The furnace 11 is of ordinary construcit 7, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and isprovi ed at its front end with an oil burner 12 and at its rear end with an upwardly extending flue 13, which is' capped by a hood section 14 forming the lower sectionof the radiator 15 which is positioned above the furnace as shown.

The radiator 15 consists of a puraity of sections 16 arranged side by side and providng a plurality of convolute sections arranged intermediate the lower manifold 14 and the upper manifold 17 thereof and communicating with both of said manifolds.

The manifold 17 is connected to a stand ipe 18 which extends through an opening m the roof 6 and is in turn connected by an elbow to an exhaust-blower 19 mounted upon the roof of the structure and adapted to be driven by a direct-connected motor 20 mounted adjacent thereto; said blower having an exhaust pipe 21 extending throu h the housing 22 an communicating with t e Figs. 2 and 3.

The main blower 23 is mounted upon a horizontal partition 24 which is spaced above the top of the furnace 11 sufliciently to provide a fresh air inlet 25 which communicates with the open front 5 of the structure and with. the com artment 9, so that the blower 23 w'ill'at all tlmes draw in a limited supply of fresh air in addition to that being circulated within the structure.

I The blower 23 is provided with a rearwardly-flared hood 26 which extends tothe top and bottom of the structure and encloses the radiator 15, as shown in Fig. 1. The sides 27 and 28 of the hood 26 are spaced apart at their rear ends a distance equaling that of the width oftwo tiers of fruit trays and form at opposite sides thereof passages 29 and 30 each equal to the width of one tier of fruit trays.

The main blower 23 is mounted inside the partition 31 and is driven by a belt 32 connected-to a motor 33 mounted outside said partition 31 and carried by abase 34 and truss rods 35 which are secured to the roof of the structure.

The drying chamber 10 is provided with oppositely (llSPOSQd. openings 36 and 37, carrying res ectively, swinging sets of doors 38 and 39 a apted to close the drying chamber 10 tightly when desired.

The drying chamber 10' is provided-with a recessed floor 40 in which is mounted a transversely arranged track 41 extendin through both door openings 36 and 37 and adapted to carrya plura Figs. 2 and'3, upon 'which are mounteda plurality of tiers of fruit trays and 46 positioned to extend close to the roof 6 and arranged to .barel clear the end of the hood 26 when moved into the chamber 10, and adapted to completely fill said compartment with the exception of a rear space 47.

The rear wall 4 of the structure is provided with a plurality of openings 48 and 49 provided, respectively, with hinged closures 50 and 51 adapting each to be adjusted to an desired degree by means of a plurality o arcuately arran ed holes 52 formed in the floor and mto which pegs 53, Figure 5, ma be inserted to hold said closures in an desiredjposition. These closures may be a justd to the proper degree from time to time to allow of the escape of a predeterity of truclis 42,

minedvolume of over-humid air to maintaiir the roper temperature and humidity within t e drying chamber, this being determined by a reading of the hygrodeik 54 which is mounted within the chamber 10 immediately in the rear of a peep-hole 55 mounted in the rear wall 4 of the structure. I

The rear s ace 47 of the chamber 10 is provided wit a plurality of curved sheetmetal sections 56, 57, 58, and 59 adapted to deflect the air currents which emerge from the central tiers of trays 44.and 45, backwardly through the side tiers of trays 43 and 46 and thence into the side passages 29 and 30 of the structure, from whence they are drawn into the mainblower 23 and recirculated.

The trays 60 which are used in connection with this structure are provided with cutdown front and rear ends 61 which form openin s 62 through which the heated air is forced y the blower 23.

The exhaust blower 19 draws the products of combustion through the coils of the radiator 15 and creates a draft for the furnace 11 and causes its proper functioning.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have produced a compact structure in which the main blower, radiator and drying chamber are positioned in a diconnection with the accompanying til have it understood that the device shown is rect line and are so arranged relative to each a comparativel air-tight passage between other so that a maximum volume of heated the blower an drying chamber and comairis forced through the radiator and di- ,municating with the latter, air passages rectly into the trays carrying the fruit withformed at the sides of said hood and comout any appreciable loss of heat due to radiamunicating with said drying chamber and tion or leakage, and thatI have additionally the blower inlet, and means mounted inthe provided a structure which may be installed rear wall of said closure for governing the on small ranches at a much less cost than /egress of over-humid air from the dehythe present structures for this purpos drator.

Fromthe foregoing description taken in 3. A dehydrator of the class described drawcomprising a structure embodying a conings, the advantages of the construction and tiguously arranged front open section, an method of operation will be readily underintermediate compartment and a dryin stood by those skilled in the art to which the chamber heating means mounted in sai invention appertains, and while I have deopen sectlon, blower means mounted in said scribed the principle of'operation, together intermediate compartment, a centrally diswith the device which I now consider to be posed air passage extendin between said the best embodiment thereof, I desire to blower and drying chamber aving a width at its outlet equal to the width of one or merely illustrative and that such changes more fruit trays, return air passages formed may be made, when desired, as fall within at the sides of said central air passage and the scope of the appended claims. communicating with said drying chamber Having thus described my invention, I and the inlet sides of said blower means, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters means for positionin a plurality of tiers Patent of the United States, the followof fruit trays in said rying chamber, means i for forcing heated air throu h the central '1. A dehydrator of the class described tiers thereof and directin de ector members comprising an enclosure embodying a front a nge in Said ryi g C mber for deflectopen section, an intermediate compartment 1ng said air rearwardly and forcing 1t and a drying chamber; a furnace mounted through the outer tiers of said trays and in said open section, a blower anda radiator thence 1nto sa d side passages for its return mounted. in said intermediate compartment, to'the blower for recirculation. a hood mounted between said blower and the 4. dehydrator of the class described drying chamber and enclosing said radiator compitsing a structure embodying an open and forming a centrally disposed hot air pasfront section, an intermediate compartment sage and oppositely disposed return air pasand a drying chamber; heating means sages, means mounted in said drying chammounted 1n sald open section, blower means her for carrying a plurality of tiers of fruit mounted in said intermediate compartment,

trays, the central tiers of which are disposed a centrally disposed air passage between in front of said hood with the side walls said blower and drying chamber having a of certain of said central tiers constitutin Width at its outlet equal to the width of one a continuation of the passage defined by sai 1 m re fruit trays, return air passages hood and the side tiersof which are disformedat the sides of said central air pasposed in front of said return air passages, sage and communicating with said drying. and deflector means carried by said drying chamber, means for positionin a plurality chamber consisting of curved sections and oftires of fruit trays in said rying chambeing adapted to deflect the air currents ber, means for forcing heated air through rearwardly into ,the side passages as rethe central tiers thereof with certain side ceived from said blower. walls of said tiers constituting a continua- 2. A dehydrator of the class described tion of said central air passage, and direotin comprising a structure embodying a front deflectors arranged in the corners of sai open section, an intermediate compartment drying chamber for deflecting said air rearand a drying chamber all arranged longiwardly through the outer tiers of trays, and tudinall within said structure; a furnace adjustable means for allowing the escape of mounte in said open section and a blower I over-humid air from said drying chamber mounted in said intermediate compartment to the atmosphere.

above said furnace, an air inlet passage ex- 5. A dehydrator of the class described tending between said furnace and blower comprising a structure embodying a front and communicating with said intermediate open section, an intermediate compartment compartment, a radiator mounted intermeand a drying chamber all arranged longidiate said blower and drying chamber, and tudinally within said structure;' a furnace a hood havinga width at its outlet equal to mounted in'said open the width of one or'more fruittrays mount mounted in "said intermediate compartment edvin said intermediate compartment; said hood beingflared outwardly and forming section and a blower a above said furnace, an air inlet'passa e extending between said furnace and b ower and communicating with said intermediate the sides of said hood andcommunicating compartment, a radiator mounted intermewith said drymg chamber and the blower 1n: diate said blower and drying chamber, and let, and means mounted in the rear wall of a hood having a width at its outlet equal to said closure in alinement with the side walls 5 the width of one or more fruit trays mountof the outlet of the hood for governin the II ed in said intermediate compartment; said egress ofover-humid air 'from the eh hood being flared outwardly and forming a drator.

comparatively air-tight passage between the i In testimony whereofll aflix my signature.

blower and drying chamber and communicating with the latter, air passages formed at ELLABD L. YOUNGER. 

